Cambodia and Thailand to Hold First UN-Mediated Meeting on Maritime Border Dispute

Cambodia and Thailand will hold the first meeting of the Conciliation Commission established under Annex V of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in Singapore from September 14 to 16, 2026. This marks a significant step towards the peaceful resolution of the maritime border dispute between the two nations. Cambodia will be represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn as the Cambodian agent, and Minister attached to the Council of Ministers Lam Chea as the deputy agent, accompanied by a Cambodian delegation and legal team. Thai representatives will also attend. The opening speeches by both parties will take place on Tuesday, September 15, at 8:00 AM Cambodia time (9:00 AM Singapore time) and will be broadcast live to the public in Khmer, English, and Thai. The opening speech for Cambodia will be delivered by Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn. This meeting is another significant event in Cambodia's initiative to resolve the maritime border conflict between the two countries through peaceful means. Cambodia turned to conciliation after Thailand unilaterally terminated the bilateral agreement framework that both countries had used as a basis for negotiations on overlapping maritime claims for over two decades. Forced conciliation under Annex V of UNCLOS is not adversarial; it involves a neutral commission that assists both parties in finding a solution. This procedure has been used successfully in the past between other countries, leading to the signing of a treaty establishing maritime boundaries between them in 2018. Cambodia hopes that this process will help Cambodia and Thailand reach a just and lasting solution to their maritime border dispute, including the opportunity to explore the abundant oil and gas resources in the overlapping claims area, for the benefit of both countries at this crucial time for regional energy security. Cambodia firmly believes that international law is the fundamental basis for the peaceful settlement of disputes between states. Cambodia participates in this process with sincerity and in a spirit of cooperation, with full confidence in the Conciliation Commission. Source: CEN Cambodia